Water, Wastewater and Sanitation Department

By the year 2002, forecasts indicate that there will be some and 25 "megacities" with populations exceeding 10 million inhabitants; twenty of these are envisioned to be in developing countries. Larger populations and higher standards of living will require more water from all available resources to satisfy domestic and industrial needs. Unfortunately, growth and population increases have generally been associated with water quality deterioration.

The quality of many of Earth's surface supplies will continue to show deterioration until, at some point, planned reuse and its associated treatment process will offer a higher quality product than conventional treatment. Thus, the key to dealing with the water resource problem will lie in our ability to extend and augment existing supplies through various reclamation processes. Success in water-reuse technology will depend largely on our ability to communicate and apply the technological advances that are achieved.

The water, wastewater and sanitation management department will engage in many of the following activities:

  • Water reclamation and reuse
  • Pollution abatement
  • Indirect potable water reuse
  • Agricultural waste water reuse
  • Urban landscape irrigation
  • Industrial water reuse
  • Groundwater recharge
  • Storm drainage and stormwater management
  • Water reuse education and public awareness campaigns